30 Houshin
by samisweet
Summary: Challenge 4: Prince of TennisSailor Moon. Usagi stumbles into a long forgotten friend as she enters the Crown Arcade
1. Reflections

**_30 Houshin Challenge Community by Tenshi no Nozomi_**

**Theme:** confluence; river; stream-of-consciousness  
**Crossover:** Bleach

**Summary:** A flowing river represents the flow of time. Usagi reflects on her life and how much things can change in the span of a month. Along the way, she meets a very special someone.

**Reflections **

by samisweet

The moonlight set everything afire. The gentle falling of sakura blossoms seemed ethereal in the glow of the pale moon; the hastening river's waves were glittering from moonbeams. Usagi sighed in appreciation as a light breeze played with her long hair, seated on a rock at the riverbank. Fish slowly swam through the crystal water of the river, dark shadows against the brilliance of the glimmering water's surface. A smile quirked at her lips as she thought about her senshi, who were much like the fish in the way that their personalities were shadowed by the brilliance of their status.

Merely two years ago, they had been brought to Soul Society to bring back the quickly depreciating peace. With their strong rule and clear heads, they had made the Society better than ever before, with each senshi ruling over a sector. Usagi supposed this was for the best; she was more than capable of defending earth on her own. After all, if her senshi were happy, then she was too. But that was what confused her. During their two year stay here, they had molded to the expectations of their subjects. They were detached, a little cold, even, people she wasn't used to hanging around. But Usagi could easily see the love they had for their people. Around her, they were normal. She had been allowed to visit them for two months. In those two months, Usagi discovered her senshi for who they really were: feminist warriors with a sense of justice and the heart to rule over countless people with love and equality. They truly did outshine their position as senshi back on earth.

Usagi admired them with all her heart. She idolized Ami for her intelligence and use of strategy, Makoto for the strength that was rarely seen anywhere in the universe, Rei for her fieriness when it came to what she believed in, Minako for her impossible optimism in the most dire of situations, Hotaru for the hope she had within her and the calmness with which she dealt with emergencies, Michiru for her gracefulness and good judgment, and Haruka for her impulsiveness and the way she was willing to put herself in harm's way to protect her loved ones. Usagi was unlike them, but in a way, she supposed she possessed a little bit of each of their qualities. Her senshi had brought her up and had taught her values that no other could. She loved them with all her heart. Here in Soul Society, they were received like goddesses. They deserved it, too.

Throughout all her past lifetimes, her senshi had constantly served her hand and foot, despite her continuous dismissal of it. They had died for her numerous times, they had supported her regardless of their own problems, and they had loved her very much. They nurtured her without thinking twice of themselves. Usagi had hated it. She wanted them to live for themselves, not for a simple-minded ex-princess. She wanted them to be happy and to live out their own dreams. Since the day she was born, she was always dependent on others. This dependency was bad and she knew it.

When she was left on her own a few years ago, she didn't know what to do. She cried most of the time over her dead senshi and family, alone in her apartment. The loneliness crept into her mind and she almost went insane with it. Then, Setsuna came and enrolled her into school. It was a step forward because she had made amazing friends despite her unwillingness to do so. She had been afraid that they would leave her too, but they had been persistent. Slowly, but surely, she went back to being the cheerful blonde she always had been. She could thank Setsuna for giving her hope. Here, in Souls Society, she had made even more friends, friends she knew would never leave her during her time of need.

Soul Society was a bit strange to her. It had been confusing to learn of the hierarchy, but she loved this place. It was here that she had met the Gotei 13; a collection captains, each one different from the other and each one possessing amazing strength. Usagi could easily brag that a single one of her senshi could take any of them on and beat them with ease, but that was a senshi's requirements. Once she had the ability to die peacefully, Usagi could see herself spending the rest of eternity with the Shinigami. They, like her, were warriors for good. They were mostly kind, if a little rough around the edges. Sure, there were the arrogant ones and the rude ones, but she loved them all the same. Though she had been first perceived poorly because of her stance as a ryoka, she was now welcomed virtually anywhere.

Usagi had changed immensely in the span of a month. Before, she had been a tentative warrior, afraid for her own life. After being here and seeing the resolutions of others, she had learned to trust herself to make things go right. She had learned that she held an impossible strength within her, a strength that had barely been tapped into. She was grateful to have people like Matsumoto, Hinamori, even the rough Renji guide her towards the path of self discovery. She held a strong friendship with most of the Lieutenants/Fukutaichou.

Through this friendship, she had found that though destiny sometimes had bad things in store for her, destiny always cared for her and brought her to people that needed her help. She was never hesitant to help someone out, regardless if it were a stranger, friend, or enemy. Haruka had often scolded her for it and told her it was a weakness. But Usagi had learned that it was strength. She was more confident now, she was a better warrior, but most of all, she had a strong support system if anything happened. Her senshi would be unable to help her at most times because of who they were, but the Shinigami never thought twice about helping her out. Even the Taichou were mostly nice to her, if not a little cold. She had, however, managed to make good friends with a few of them.

Ukitake-Taichou was the kindest man Usagi had ever met in her entire life. He always held this gentle glow about him that was inviting and sweet. She knew that he had an illness that made him weak, and with her Ginzuishou, she had resolved to heal him as a goodbye present. Ukitake was always there to defend her, whether it be a lower class Shinigami picking a fight with her, or Renji insisting on battling her to test her skills. His sense of justice was very strong as well and he had a sixth sense about things that didn't seem to go right. He was popular among the Shinigami, and though he didn't know it, the females adored him. Usagi giggled slightly at this thought as her mind wandered to the most playful captain of them all.

Shunsui-Taichou was a girl-chaser, no doubt about it. He was lazy, he slept all the time, and he was a shameless flirt. Even so, Usagi loved him with all her heart. She would never want the humorous man to be any other way. He treated Usagi delicately, as one would a princess, and made her feel like she was the best person alive. Usagi loved that, knowing the far extent of her true faults. When she felt down, he never failed to bring her back to her cheeriness. He hated fighting and bloodshed, but when it came down to it, he fought _hard_ when he had to. Usagi admired that trait immensely. She spent many an afternoon with him, lazing around his house and drinking steamy tea, giggling at his antics with his stoic Lieutenant, Nanao. She smiled when she came upon another captain that was equally stoic.

Kuchiki-Taichou was ice-cold and a bastard. He was arrogant and always bound to duty. He never strayed from his usual personality and failed to care for anyone. Usagi had been immensely surprised when she had caught the cold captain watching sakura blossoms in the moonlight; she never thought that a man so icy would enjoy so simple of a hobby. But he had had a slight smile on his face as he watched blossom after blossom fall to the ground, his back supported by a tree trunk.

Usagi had come upon him as an accident; she was twirling and giggling madly as she ran from Hotaru's watchful eyes. Standing in front of him with wide, frightful eyes, she had bowed and apologized profusely. He had grunted in acceptance, his eyes returning to sakura blossoms. And with them floating around him, glowing in moonlight, Kuchiki looked breathtaking. Usagi had blurted out that he looked really nice smiling like that amidst the falling petals before clapping her hands over her mouth in horror. And suddenly, he laughed. It was a soft but pleasing sound. From there, she had managed to forge a shaky, but later strong, friendship with him. She herself was astonished that such a man had accepted her presence.

It wasn't as surprising as Zaraki-Taichou; that was for sure. The demonic, slightly insane man had scared her from the very start. His very presence was frightening because of the darkness that surrounded him. She had met him through Yachiru, who was a close friend of hers. One day, while she was running away from the pink-haired girl in a game of tag, she had run straight into the tall, demeaning person. Gasping and falling into the ground, she had frozen with terror, until Yachiru happily introduced her to her much-beloved captain. Zaraki had hauled her to her feet in a single, fluid movement and gave a crazy laugh that Usagi would grow to love later.

Usagi had tentatively asked if she could go with Yachiru to training practice, and was mildly amazed when the dark captain said yes. She had given him a few pointers on how to overthrow opponents, and through a long debate on which was better in a fight, strength or technique, she had created a good companionship. Zaraki, though cold, expressed his love differently. Small smiles, a discreet nod, was all Usagi needed to know that she was accepted. And now, she could easily turn to Zaraki for help with any of her fighting skills. Not only that, but he gave support to her whenever she needed it. If it were Shinigami picking on her, he could make them run away with a mere look. If she was feeling down, he'd personally take her to Ukitake-Taichou or Shunsui-Taichou to have them cheer her up.

Usagi blushed as her thoughts went to Hitsugaya-Taichou. Everyone in Soul Society, save for the clueless captain, was aware of her crush on him. She had more than once seen others egging her on while she talked with the ramrod-straight captain. She had even spotted Kuchiki-Taichou giving her thumbs up when they had been together once. And Zaraki-Taichou was always smiling this devious little smile when he spotted them together. It drove her crazy. She didn't even want to get started on Matsumoto. Matsumoto was out to get her, she was sure of it. The buxom brunette was constantly dropping hints to Hitsugaya, but luckily, the captain never took notice. And Shunsui-Taichou… when he had learned of Usagi's crush, he went crazy, joking around with Hitsugaya himself. The tenth division captain didn't understand what Shunsui was trying to get at and Usagi was thankful of that.

Usagi didn't really know what she found so attractive in the prodigious taichou. Maybe it was his eyes, his ice-blue piercing eyes that took everything in. Perhaps it was his strength. He was extraordinarily strong and Usagi felt secure around him, in a way that no one else made her feel. He was very mature for his age and so unlike Usagi. Usagi was slightly envious that he could act so graceful and smart and strong while she… she was rather ditzy, whiny, and a crybaby. She knew she had strength but she didn't possess the galls to use it on someone else.

Despite the fact that the others teased her mercilessly, Usagi would have it no other way. With them, she felt a comfort. Closeness, if you will, that set them apart from everyone else. Here in Soul Society, it was warm and loving and even though it sometimes got chaotic, she knew that everyone would always be there. And tomorrow, she would have to go back to earth, where she would be lonely even with her friends. No one was there to share her burdens with. A Shinigami, as she'd learned, would sometimes be sent to take away Hollows while she was busy defending earth from aliens, but she had never seen them.

"I don't want to go back," Usagi breathed as she leaned back on the rock she was sitting on, head tilted towards the shining moon.

"Then stay."

The voice startled her and she was instantly on her feet. She whirled around and then blushed lightly, looking away.

"Hitsugaya-Taichou, if I stay, then who'll defend earth?" Usagi fought down her blush, refusing to meet the captain's piercing eyes.

"You could defend it from here," Hitsugaya replied softly. Usagi could tell from his voice that he knew it wasn't a possibility.

"You know I can't. But I can go back with memories of this place and know that my friends, people like you, are watching over me. That alone will make me feel better," Usagi gave a warm smile before stepping forward and giving Hitsugaya a small embrace. She let go of him quickly. "I'll miss you, too, Hitsugaya-Taichou."

"I-I wanted to say that, uh…" Hitsugaya's constant frown deepened and he blushed lightly, refusing to meet Usagi's eyes. "I, uh… Um, I wanted to that, uh…" His blush got deeper and Usagi blinked.

"Are you feeling alright? You're not coming down with something, are you? You look kinda red," Usagi blinked, bringing a hand up to Hitsugaya's forehead. He immediately flinched and smacked Usagi's hand away.

"I'm not sick," he declared firmly. "But I wanted to say th-that…"

"Say what?" Usagi replied quietly, waiting with patience for him to spit it out. Hitsugaya gulped, blushing harder. He quickly stepped forward, pecked Usagi on the lips, and then ran away using Flash Steps.

"Sorry!" he managed to say before running. Usagi blushed and sighed before putting two fingers to her temple. She teleported to an empty area where she knew Hitsugaya was bound to run to. He nearly ran her over. When he saw her standing there, he stopped, frozen, his eyes wide with fear. Usagi giggled at his expression.

"Silly Hitsugaya-Taichou. You called that a kiss?" Usagi laughed lightly as she stepped forward. Her eyes fluttered close as she brought her face to his, pressing her lips against his in a sweet, chaste kiss. She stepped away with a smile on her face. Hitsugaya's entire face was cherry red. Suddenly, cheering went up from balconies and people popped up everywhere. Usagi blushed profusely.

"Matsumoto-chan! You are an evil witch!" Usagi screeched, burying her face in her hands. "How could you bring the entire 10th division out here! This isn't a show!"

"Go Usagi-chan!" Matsumoto laughed as she wolf-whistled.

"Usagi-chan is so cute!" Yachiru cried out. "Isn't she Ken-chan?"

"Yachiru-chan! Zaraki-Taichou! Not you guys too!" Usagi whined. "Oh my god! Is that Kuchiki-Taichou and Renji-kun? And Shunsui-Taichou and Ukitake-Taichou, too? Ah! This is so embarrassing!"

"Usagi, I didn't know you had it in you!"

"Hotaru-chan!" Usagi wailed, chasing after the princess and protector of the Court of Pure Souls. Everyone screamed and scattered as Usagi ran after them, her aura flaring up in a burst of silver and her hands burning with the same silver energy. Hitsugaya merely stood there, embarrassed beyond words and turning redder, if possible.

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The first of 30 themes :) Pairing suggestions accepted, but not guaranteed. Oh, and I'm friendly, so don't be afraid to approach me. XD


	2. Deceit

**_30 Houshin Challenge Community by Tenshi no Nozomi_**

**Theme:** cozen; liar; perfidy

**Crossover:** Gundam Wing

**Summary:** Somewhere along the way, Usagi had fallen in love with him. Too bad it was a love not meant to be. Some things, for Usagi, are bigger than love.

**Deceit **

By samisweet

She purposefully kept her eyes closed and her breathing even. She could feel him moving beside her on the bed. She'd acted this far; she just needed to perfect this situation and it would be home, sweet home for her. A gentle hand pushed back a loose strand of hair that had been bothering her for a while. The hand softly caressed her cheek before pulling away. Warm lips were pressed to her forehead. Usagi frowned ever so slightly, causing him to laugh gently. Faking a moan, she shifted her position and snuggled deeper into the bed.

"I'll be back in a few hours," he whispered. Usagi felt regret fill her heart as she opened her eyes to watch him leave. His body was just a shadow against the bright light from the halls and he walked stealthily, his steps almost nonexistent. He was sweet, he really was. His humor was attractive and his smiles melted her insides every time. She still didn't understand why her senshi put her of all people up to this, when they knew she hated hurting other people. She waited until she heard the car rev up and then leave before standing and allowing the sheets to fall to the floor. She flitted about the room, clothing herself, before glancing in the mirror. Wide brown eyes and curly brown hair stared back… it was the reflection of a stranger.

"Come on, Usagi," the young girl breathed as she gathered her clothes from drawers and stuffed them in her subspace pocket. She only had four hours tops. Slipping into a black bodysuit with black boots, she smirked triumphantly and replaced the jewelry on his desk with a white envelope. _I'm sorry. But I really did love you_. Usagi shook her head free of the thought; this was more important than her petty feelings. The fate of the _world_ depended on this. She left the room with surprising grace and crept down the hallways. The cameras would not pick her up; her senshi magic confirmed it. Pressed against the wall, she was merely a shadow. No one was awake at this hour, and luckily for her, she made it to the basement without any disturbances whatsoever. She gave a grim smile as she lifted the right piece of wood off of the wall.

It had taken five long months for Usagi to get this war. Five months of false kisses which had somehow turned real somewhere along the line, five months of touches that had become tender, five months of waiting and baiting for the proper information. One month ago, she had found out all she needed by accident; he had forgotten to close his laptop. And then, she just needed the opportunity. Each passing day made her more jittery and nervous. Each kiss made her more guilty and regretful. But today, all of her confusion and apprehension would end.

Usagi smirked when she successfully punched in the right code. The wall slid open, revealing a catwalk. She stepped forth, her heels clicking lightly on the metal floor. The door behind her slid shut. She sighed in relief once she saw five huge monsters staring down at her with cold, glass eyes. A soft, bitter laugh escaped parted lips. She was so nervous that her palms were sweaty. With skillful leaps and jumps, she made it into the cockpit of the first machine. Unhooking wires and rearranging cords, she pushed a thin disc into a slot and pressed a button.

"Download beginning," a mechanized female voice said. A smile graced her features and she went towards the next machine. Four more and she was done. She waited impatiently on the floor for them to complete. Like clockwork, the first one beeped. "Download complete."

"Thank goodness," Usagi breathed as she climbed up into the cockpit once again. She grabbed the ejected disk and placed it in her subspace before putting the wires back where they belonged. The second one beeped and Usagi quickly finished her work in the first machine before making her way towards the second one. At last, she stood on the floor, glaring up at the five machines. "I'm sorry, but you guys are gonna have to go. I'll see you soon!" With a cheery smile and a salute, Usagi leapt back onto the catwalk and rushed outside, closing the door behind her and placing the wooden block back where it belonged.

"Finally," Usagi broke into a fast run; no doubt her time was almost up. She burst through the front doors and quickly jumped over the gate. Usagi pulled off her wig, letting blonde hair fall in a perfect wave down to her feet, her odango left in perfect condition. Her contacts were taken out as well, revealing beautiful silver-blue irises. She laughed lightly as pulled on a pink trench-coat in the chilly weather, almost bitterly so. Her boots clacked on the concrete sidewalk. Mission completed. Suddenly, someone slammed into her shoulder and she stumbled slightly, looking over her shoulder to meet beautiful amethyst orbs on an equally handsome face. Her heart thudded against her chest as the male apologized, giving a wide smile.

"I'm sorry," Usagi replied with a sad look on her eyes as she walked away. When she was far enough, she brought her wrist to her face. "Moon coming in."

"Finally!" a voice screeched on the other end. "What took you so long?"

" Mission completed. Send someone to pick me up, please," Usagi giggled slightly. "I'll be seeing you soon, ne Rei-chan."

"Can't wait, Usagi-chan."

Usagi's eyes softened as she seated herself on a low brick wall, one that gated in the Winner Estate. She might have fallen in love with him, but to her, her senshi and the peace of the world mattered more. Maybe, after this whole thing was done with, she would have another chance.

**_Break_**

Duo sighed in relief when he finally made it to his own room. Allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness, he fell gratefully into bed –to find it strangely cold. He bolted up when the comforting figure he had grown used to wasn't there. His eyes looked about wildly, finding his drawers open and his things flung around the room. Slowly, he stood and turned on the lamp beside his table. Empty. All her things were gone. He cursed loudly, head spinning in confusion and heart breaking. How could she have left him like that, after declaring her love for him? Was it fake? Was it _not real_?

"Damn you, Serena," he breathed angrily. His eyes landed on his night stand, where a lone white envelope lay in the soft glow from his lamp. He snatched it and ripped it open, eyes scanning over the messily scrawled words.

_Dear Duo, _

_At this point in time, you probably realize that I'm gone. I'm very sorry. Sometimes, in order to complete a mission, a little bit of deceit is required. If you're horrified, I do not work for Oz (of which I know of) and I am NOT out to kill you or your friends. I am merely a young girl trying to make the world a better place. If you're as sharp as they say you are, you probably realize that I broke into your hangar and took information of all five Gundams. Your friends won't notice; I didn't leave a shred of evidence behind. It's up to you whether or not you want to tell them. In case you think I'm heartless and cruel, I have to admit, sometime along this acting and faking, I really did fall in love with you. But there are some things that are bigger than love, and that is my loyalty to the safety of the world and my friends. Your Gundams will be destroyed, as will Oz, so worry not. I hope, under different circumstances, we can meet again, and maybe, this will work out. Until then, sayonara. _

_-Usagi (I think you deserve to at least know my real name) _

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For those of you that didn't guess, this was a DuoUsagi pairing XD I was going to make it different, but then I realized that I've never written Usagi in a villainous role. I felt like writing one suddenly. :)


	3. Savior

**_30 Houshin Challenge Community by Tenshi no Nozomi_**

**Theme:** succor; savior; sanctuary

**Crossover:** Weiss Kreuz

**Summary:** Usagi is drowning in her sorrows. On a rainy day in empty streets, who would be willing to save a lonely, broken girl?

**Savior**

By samisweet

It was one of those days that never went well. One of those days that made you question why you decided to leave your bed and why you chose to step out of your room and why you went and stepped out of your home. The humidity outside had been suffocating the day before, but now, the clouds pushed away the sun and rolled in with booming thunder. The rain fell in pouring gray sheets.

The day itself went poorly. She woke to the sound of frightening thunder with only ten minutes to get ready and have breakfast. Grabbing toast and an umbrella, she ran out the door, only to have her umbrella break thirty seconds after her sprint. She arrived to school drenched and tardy by five minutes because she had slipped in a puddle and almost hit by a car.

Even though she had done it (everything had a first), her homework was wet and the ink had leaked, making the paper illegible. She failed her pop quiz and forgot her lunch. Not only that, but she had to have served detention for her tardiness and because of it, was caught in an offending downpour.

She hated her life. She hated not being perfect. She hated fighting every damn day. Even more, she hated this weather. She hated storms because they were loud. They scared her with their terrible howling winds and flashes of bright hot light. The thunder was always rumbling and it was almost as if it chastised her. But most of all, she hated storms because they made her _remember_.

That day had been just as stormy as this one. She found herself happy and giddy for scoring her first A on a math test. The rain was almost blinding and she couldn't see two feet ahead of her. She didn't mind it. The roads were eerily quiet and only the sound of falling rain echoed around her. The stores were closed with drawn blinds, the owners already gone home. And before she could even think, she had been drawn into a dark alleyway, a group of disgusting _men_ looming over her. They said nasty things and made ludicrous comments about her body and what they'd do with her.

The fear was unnerving. She was a god damn warrior. No one scared her and she could fight better than any man. But the things they were saying confused her and angered her, to a point where she couldn't function correctly.

All she could feel was the fear. It suffocated her, embraced her in its dark, swirling depths until she couldn't see. Her heart pounded ferociously against her rib-cage as she struggled, tears gathering in her azure eyes. They slapped her; beat her to the point of numbness. The rain washed blood down her body and across the ground.

She screamed for all she was worth. All the while, the thunder drowned out her voice and the rain sheltered her as the men loomed closer. She screamed louder, sobbing, crying, and trying her best to fight off the men that clawed at her body. Her chest heaved for air as she tried to wrench out of their death-grips. Her eyes were drawn and cloudy from terror. They ripped her skirt from her body with dark eyes, hungrily staring at her wet legs. She squirmed, crying louder, as they clawed at her breasts, intent on touching her tastelessly.

It was her last hope for her innocence –for her sanity. She took it. She screamed loudly and heaved with all the strength she could muster. They fell back, surprised as she ran down the alleyway and out onto the street. Stumbling over every crack and rock, she cursed herself. Their footsteps slowly met her ears and she cried out, running harder, but they had hit her well. She fell over the curb and skidded onto the street. The men laughed and sneered, walking towards her slowly, as if they enjoyed this kind of torture.

And then, _he_ came. With surprising skill and quiet danger, he dispelled all four men in a few mere hits. It made her feel inadequate, vulnerable, and_ weak_. She had grown off of her dependency for a reason and hated feeling that way. He offered her a hand and she took it in that moment of feverish horror, allowing him to pull her to her feet. She fell into his arms, tears running free, her sobs and his soothing words the only sounds. He looked at her state of dress and shook his head sadly before bringing her into a shop and lending her a jacket and a pair of too-big jeans.

Her teeth clenched as the memory played again and again in her head. She turned her face towards the pouring sky and allowed the rain to wash across her face. Her Odango-ed blonde hair clung to her skin and she parted her lips, allowing the water to enter her mouth. Her face was squeezed into a grimace and she shivered.

"Memories?" a voice softly asked. She whirled around, her face contorting to surprise, fear, and finally anger.

"Not that it's any of your business," she retorted uncharacteristically, already turning to walk away.

"Wait."

"Why?" she paused, her back turned towards him.

"Because, I wanted to know. Why are you avoiding me? I thought we were friends."

She didn't know the answer to that. The rain filled the silence. Why did she? Was it because she didn't want his help? Was it because she hated the vulnerability he made her feel? Or was it because he had proved that she, the almighty Sailor Moon, was not invincible? That she had human fears and that the strength she had gained from her experiences was basically nothing? That her senshi were right when they said that she was weak? She loathed this insecurity he had given her. It had rocked her then-sturdy foundations, made her realize that she had a long way to go before she could ever reach the likeness of her tough senshi.

"We are," she whispered, willing her voice to remain strong. "I-I…" her voice cracked and she could not hold back the tears. They dripped down her face, and for once, she was happy that it was pouring. Her tears mingled with the rain, downsizing her puffy eyes until they were no longer visible. What could she say to him? That she was the glorious heroine Sailor Moon and that he had broken her focus and her strength? That _he_ was the reason why she couldn't sleep at night and why she was no longer truly happy? That that day had broken her cocoon and made her realize the weakness of men? She began to run as fast as she could, away from him, away from her thoughts, tears dripping from her face. She didn't want to face him, not now. Suddenly, someone grabbed her wrist, pulling her to a stop.

"Then why don't you talk to me anymore?" he prodded gently, placing a hand on either side of her shoulder. She refused to meet his eyes. She didn't dare to open her mouth. "Usagi... is it because you're embarrassed about what happened? It could have happened to anyone. It's not your fault… you're not a bad person to have it happen to you."

Usagi's face was contorted in pain as her trembling grew worse. When she looked up at him, he winced slightly. Her eyes were _dull_. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me. Here, let's go somewhere dry," he led her towards the sidewalk and out of the middle of the street. She did, naturally, resist, but his grip was firm and his arm strong. Trudging along with him, she found herself inside a cute, warm floral shop, dripping water onto a clean linoleum floor. "Can I trust you to stay here?"

Usagi thought it over for a moment before nodding. He broke into a smile and left for the back of the store. Usagi turned towards the windows, watching the rain pour in sullen gray sheets, her own eyes finally drying up. How had she ended up in a floral shop of all places? She should have resisted. She should have left while she had the chance. She didn't want to see him or meet him, not now, not ever. She jumped slightly when someone offered her a towel. Looking up into mischievous green eyes, she accepted the kind gesture.

"Kudo Yohji, at your service, princess," the long-haired handsome male said, bowing over her hand while placing a kiss on the back of it. Usagi instantly shrank and snatched her hand away, her eyes reflecting her fear.

"P-Please don't touch me," whispered Usagi. Tears began to well in her eyes once more as she pressed her back against the shop window.

"Yohji," a voice sharply barked.

"Omi," Yohji nodded towards the younger male. Usagi inched her way over to him and threw her arms around his shoulders, burying her face into his chest.

"It's alright, Usagi, he's a friend. He wouldn't dare hurt you," Omi said soothingly. He shot a glare towards the notorious playboy.

"I'm sorry, princess," Yohji apologized. "I didn't realize I had hurt you so."

"It's alright," Usagi replied softly, using the back of her hand to wipe away her tears. "I-I'm Tsukino Usagi."

"Bunny, what a fitting name," Yohji laughed, winking. Usagi giggled lightly. "Well, Omi, I'm heading out. Be back later."

"Aya said to be back by nine," Omi nodded towards the clock.

"Ah, don't worry about it, I'll be back," Yohji shook his head before blowing a kiss towards Usagi and waving good-bye. "Seeya later, beautiful. Once again, sorry for scaring you."

"Bye," Usagi breathed. She relaxed once the taller man left the shop.

"Here, Usagi, dry up," Omi shoved another towel into the blonde's hands and pushed her towards the bathroom. "Then, we can talk." Usagi slowly shut the bathroom door behind her before catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her hair was plastered to her body and her eyes were red and puffy. She shook her head. Her senshi would tell her to be strong. How could she when her strength had left her? Before, she had at least believed in herself. Now, she couldn't trust herself to properly get rid of a youma. Her independency was gone. She splashed cold water on her face before using the towels to get the wetness out of her hair and skin. Once she was satisfactorily dry, she left the bathroom o find Omi waiting for her with a tray of steaming tea. He gave a warm smile.

"Just leave the towels on the counter." Usagi followed his directions and neatly laid her towels on the counter, suddenly becoming a little shy. Here she was in a little shop, _alone_ with who most girls called 'the cutest guy ever', and waiting for a thick scolding. She resolved not to tell him much. Her senshi wouldn't appreciate the fact that she went to someone else with her woes. They loved her too much and worried about others taking advantage of her. Omi motioned for her to sit on a stool and she did so, her hands folded in her lap and fidgeting. He poured her a cup of tea and set the steamy mug in front of her on a coaster.

"Are you hungry?" Omi asked kindly. Usagi quickly shook her head, her eyes lowering to her wet school skirt. "Well, where do you want to start?" Usagi stayed silent, staring at her reflection in the cup she held in her hands. "Usagi, you should know that when I saved you, I did it because I care. I won't laugh at you for the reasons why you refuse to talk to me. I just want to know why."

"Why do you care so much?" Usagi whispered. The shop became silent for a moment or two as Omi reflected on the question.

"Because you're my friend and you're always so happy. You make a lot of people happy, including me. And finding people like that is really hard and when you find someone like that, you should protect them so that they're never sad."

Usagi blushed lightly at this and carefully took a sip of her tea. Omi watched quietly. "You know. Omi-kun… I work really hard." Usagi tried her best to stop the tears from collecting in her eyes. "I work really hard to stay happy so that everyone else can be happy. I worked hard to be independent. I worked really, really hard to protect myself and fight for myself," Usagi sniffed as tears once again began streaming from her eyes. "B-But then… then those guys came and I could do _nothing_. Nothing at all against a man! Did you know th-that I have a black-belt in three different martial arts? Did you know that I constantly train with bow-and-arrow and swords and projectiles so that I c-can protect myself when the time comes? A-And all of that, all of that hard work, all of those hours spent _sweating blood and tears_… all of it went to waste! I can't do this anymore, Omi-kun! I can't… when those men attacked me, I froze. It was like –like I had forgotten how to breathe. And then, you came and you had to save me and I felt like my world was falling apart!"

Usagi paused as the tears fell harder. "I train so that my friends don't have to protect me! So that I can protect them for once… the girls, they are constantly getting into fights. For me! Because I'm too damn weak to help myself." Usagi's voice took on a bitter note.

"A-And I was living under the illusion that I was pretty much invincible by a normal person because I worked so hard and became independent. And you came and you shattered it." Usagi's voice was tight and clogged with emotion as she sobbed softly. "Y-You just… you shattered it! And I hated myself for that. I just wanted to be strong and independent, like my friends… and suddenly, after believing in myself, I realized that I was weak. I was immature and a baby a-and a burden no one wanted!" Usagi broke down, sobbing into her hands. Omi watched the blonde silently, his cup left forgotten. He didn't move to comfort her or hug her. Usagi gave a sour laugh. "All an illusion. What was I thinking? That becoming a fighter would make me strong? That training hard would give me the upper hand? I'm just a weak, whiny, ditzy crybaby who can't tell left from right. I'm sorry, Omi-kun. I ignored you because of my weakness. Because I lack strength."

"Usagi," Omi simply stated. Usagi fell quiet, sniffling and wiping away stray tears. "Usagi, you know, in my eyes, you're one of the strongest people I know. You say that you're dependent, but isn't everyone?"

"This is different… I can't tell you or explain it," Usagi whispered.

"You don't realize it, but your friends are dependent on you. You hold them together. And because you smile for others even when you're hurt, you're very strong."

"I'm weak."

"Stop telling yourself that! You're strong. If you're willing to go that far to make sure that others are fine and that you can protect them, it makes you strong," Omi grabbed Usagi's hand, holding it comfortingly. "Usagi, you need to trust yourself. People do things for you because they want to help you. They want to protect you because you're the kind of person that needs to stay innocent."

Usagi's hand fell limp. Her shoulders sagged and she looked defeated. How could she explain to him her situation? How could he understand how important it was for her to be strong? She couldn't tell him anything, but he cared genuinely. And somewhere in his speech, he made sense. She supposed, in her own small way, she had strength. Somewhere under all those tears and immaturity, she had strength. And slowly, as realization hit her, she could feel a little bit of the confusion and despair lift from her shoulders.

"I'm so sorry, Omi-kun… I-I'm so sorry," Usagi fell into his warm arms. "I never meant to ignore you but I was so confused… I'm so sorry."

"It's alright," Omi replied, hugging the blonde back.

"Thank you for helping me," she whispered, looking up into his warm eyes and sweet smile. "Thank you for saving me… both times."

"You saved yourself, Usagi. I only helped."

Usagi smiled at that, bottom lip trembling. "You're too sweet, Omi-kun." With that, she leaned up and pressed her lips against his in a bold and daring move, her hands clutching his shirt as she deepened the kiss. He responded slowly at first, but then eagerly massaged her mouth with his own. And, for a moment, it was only them, kissing in the middle of a storm, safe in the sanctuary of each other's arms and a simple floral shop.

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For those of you that are undoubtedly asking; yup, this is a rewrite! There were a lot of errors and stuff, so I made it a little longer. Hopefully, it's not so rushed anymore. Do you guys want me to complete the ByakuyaUsagi oneshot first or the SiriusUsagi oneshot? I can't decide, lol. Well, seeya next time!


	4. Smile

**_30 Houshin Challenge Community by Tenshi no Nozomi_**

**Theme: **scent, perfume, odor

**Crossover: **Prince of Tennis

**Summary: **Usagi stumbles into a long forgotten friend as she enters the Crown Arcade

**Smile**

by samisweet

The door to the Crown Arcade had never seemed so inviting. After a hard day in school and battling powerful youma, Usagi loved to unwind at her favorite place and drown in the pleasure of a triple chocolate shake. With that thought in mind, she approached the front door and grabbed the handle, swiftly opening it.

Someone bumped into her and she inhaled sharply as she tried to balance herself. A familiar scent bombarded her senses. The aroma pervaded her mind, a musky, woody smell with the barest hints of plum blossoms, sharp and intoxicating. Her eyes moved behind her and caught a pair of intense blue ones. Memories flashed before her eyes, each one containing a young boy with an eternal smile. Memories of an era before they had parted ways. Time froze.

"Usagi-baka! What are you standing there for?!" the voice came sharp and uninviting. Usagi blinked, startled and offered the man before her a small, regretful smile. His eyes disappeared as his normal expression, a grin that ate up fiery blue orbs and was a testament to his playfulness, returned.

"Coming, Pyro! Don't get your panties in a bunch!" the door behind her closed and she shook her head before heading to the booth where her friends were waiting for her.

* * *

I know, I know, I've been dead! But it's not my fault; I'm doing the IB Diploma and it is _hard_! Trust me, I rarely get more than four hours of sleep anymore. It's so difficult to keep up with my homework, let alone work on my pieces for FFN. I promise I'll try harder to do a little more. This one's only like 200 words and it's a drabble, but I'm already done with the next one, which is like seven pages long, so look forward to it! In case no one guessed the pairing, it's Fuji/Usagi. Please leave a few words! 


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